On the morning of the day before the game of UEFA Europa League round of 16 between the Seville club and Fenerbahçe, Jorge Sampaoli spoke to the media and reviewed the latest news around Sevilla FC and the meeting. The Argentine coach spoke about important issues, such as whether the French Badé will be available against the Turkish team, the importance of the clash or his personal situation at the club.
Badé’s absence
In the first place in the UEFA Europa League preview, Jorge Sampaoli spoke of the possibility that Badé was in the game: «Today he was partly working with us, he did well. It is more probable that it will be in the party of Sunday that in the one of tomorrow. He’s a specific player from a place that, most of the time, we don’t have specific players and that’s why he’s missing so much. We have to learn to live the reality we have, if not with specific players, with players from another position.”
Latest news from Sevilla FC
Jorge Sampaoli was asked about one of the latest news from Sevilla FC, the meeting between Monchi and the squad, he said: «The meeting had to do with a subject that I was commenting on previously. We are in a complicated facet of the club in the league, you have to trust players and try, through operation, to make up for absences that the club has and know that we have two competitions at the same time. I came here, to this club, because I was happy in another context and I thought I had to come because of how I left and I came to contribute, giving all my knowledge. The speculations that are given in a media way I do not listen to them nor do they invade me. I came to a task and I’m going to leave my skin until the last moment ».
Regarding the trial of Del Nido and Pepe Castro, he replied: «The conditions are linked to the responsibility we have. These two defeats have caused me discomfort. What happens at the club level will affect those who are linked to that position in the club. It is so much what leads the issue of preparation and improvement, that sports prioritizes us ».
change of coach
Regarding the news that deals with a possible replacement on the Sevilla FC bench, he stated: «I had to come to replace a good coach who was in a low position. That coach is one of the best Sevilla FC had. This is a second process in the same place, we have improved, but it has to be maintained. We are three points from position twelve. Football does not support, I give my best so that the team does well. Football does not respect coaches and less ».
The match with Atlético de Madrid
Regarding the win by Atlético de Madrid, Jorge Sampaoli said: «The behaviors can be analyzed from a line or from reality. The goals of the other day are specific actions. You get the goals from that game and you can’t end that difference. In other games, the difference is greater and we end up winning. What we do culturally is defend online and we put more or less troops. With Atlético de Madrid we had Carrasco and Llorente, so the field had to be covered. They are punctual goals that come from their own mistakes. The team’s problem is when it plays badly and, Due to the characteristics of this squad, duels are very difficult ».
Regarding his state of mind after the defeat at the Metropolitano, which caused a wave of bad news at Sevilla FC, the Argentine coach replied: “I always say the same thing, I am the same now as when we had to win many games and we had evolved. I know in reality that I am and that there are going to be good bumps and bad bumps. In the context we are in, we have to face it and compete for that reality. We come from eliminating a candidate to win the Europa League and now we also have to compete with one of them and we have to draw strength to be competitive».
UEFA Europa League rival
Jorge Sampaoli spoke of his opponent in the UEFA Europa League: «We train different options for system changes even in the same game and that has to do with the culture of the game. We have to find the dynamics that the team had in some games. We always defend and play in the same way and we had no problems until the last two games. The team has quite prepared what the rival brings and the systematic changes will keep us attentive for our own modifications and bother the rival.
He also responded about the importance of the match: «The match, For us, it is important and transcendent, beyond the moment that touched us. It makes us rethink some things and improve some aspects, we have to play with energy and freedom because if we play with pressure, It can overtake us.”
The Argentine coach spoke about the rival’s players and his knowledge of them: «Rival’s players, I do know, I made Valencia play… there are many players that I trained and I have knowledge of the squad. The strength of this team is pressure and transition of their forwards.
The lack of specialty
Lastly, Jorge Sampaoli spoke about the lack of specialized players in some positions, one of the bad news for Sevilla FC that has been current all season: “The lack of specialization may be individual, but there is a feeling that it is through central and no, it’s also for ruffles. I think that excusing myself in absences is easy. Here there is a structural reality and we have to have a support that does not damage in the transition of the game. When I play better those absences will be seen much less.
